the inevitable

My querying is really rolling now. Know how I can tell? I got my first rejections.

Hand with stamp with big red letters REJECTED hammering down repeatedly on a piece of paper

“Pleased” isn’t exactly the word – every query goes out with the hope of success. I can’t even say I’m relieved, which given that I hate not knowing where I stand is a novel experience.

But I feel like I’ve passed some kind of writerly milestone. It’s one thing to write for myself, another to share it with people I know, but sending it out into the world for a chance at having it be a printed and bound book I can put on a shelf seems a step beyond.

Rejection is part of the process. Just as I can’t fence hoping to medal/make gold every time, I can’t expect every query to end in offers of representation. Most of them won’t.

I just hope I can maintain my good humor as the rejections stack up.

Published by

Allison Thurman

Raised on a diet of Star Wars, Monty Python, and In Search Of, Allison Thurman has always made stuff, lately out of words. She lives in a galaxy far, far away (well, the DC metro area) with too many books and not enough swords.

2 thoughts on “the inevitable”

  1. Just keep in mind, it’s not necessarily you or your work. Sometimes it’s the agent’s existing workload, or a mismatch between your subject or genre and their specialty. Don’t take it as a judgment on what you’ve accomplished, just a nudge toward the eventual ‘yes.’ Easy words from someone who’s still dreaming of getting to where you are now, I know! But I believe you’ll get there.

  2. That’s exactly what one of the replies said – essentially “it’s not you, it’s me.” And that is fine – I’d rather have no agent instead of one who is lukewarm about my book.

Leave a Reply